By Elin Spring and Suzanne Révy
Our current coronavirus pandemic has been likened to a war against an insidious, invisible enemy. It shares some characteristics with a conventional war, but not since WWII have we faced a threat that calls upon each of us to sacrifice for the common good. As in wartime, there are many unsung heroes, from medical personnel to those who assure our food supply. Perhaps this awakened spirit of service has deepened our appreciation for those who have marched and flown into harm’s way to protect and defend the freedoms of American life.
Normandy Invasion on D‐Day, Soldier Advancing through Surf, June 6th, 1944
Robert Capa (American, born in Hungary, 1913–1954), Photograph, gelatin silver print, The Howard Greenberg Collection—Museum purchase with funds donated by the Phillip Leonian and Edith Rosenbaum Leonian Charitable Trust, Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
This Memorial Day marks the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. Here, we pay tribute to our American war dead and their spirit of sacrifice by featuring some of the most famous photographs from the WWII era. The photojournalists who covered that conflict were the first to accompany our troops into combat. Their black and white film photographs share a palpable sense of drama and immediacy – in composition, texture, tonality and human empathy. With poignancy and passion, these photojournalists allowed us to recognize the ravages of WWII and to share in the joyous celebration of our victory.
Joe Rosenthal (American, 1911-2006) “Marines raise the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 five days after the Marines landed on the island. (Featured Image)
W. Eugene Smith (American, 1918-1978) “American soldiers discover a dying infant in a ravine during the Battle of Saipan on the Mariana Islands of Japan in June, 1944.”
Lee Miller (American, 1907-1977 ) “Children Celebrating the Liberation of Paris, France,” taken between August 19th and August 25th, 1944.
Margaret Bourke-White (American, 1904-1971) “Liberation of Buchenwald,” taken April 11th, 1945.
Alfred Eisenstaedt (American, born in Germany, 1898-1995) “V-J Day in Times Square,” taken August 14th, 1945.
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